Good Luck in Nature Park

As the sun begins to set, individuals, bicyclists and family picnickers quickly make their way out from Nature Park. Due to recent night vandalism and violent gang fights, city officials close the park from sunset until the next morning sunrise. Today, an elderly couple, both assisted with aluminum walkers, slowly hobble down the gravel pathway. It would be dark in thirty minutes. “Hurry, dear,” sighed the old man turning to look back at his wife trailing behind him. Suddenly, the old woman screams, “SNAAKKE, HEEELLP MEEE!” Shuffling back and almost tripping over the loose gravel rocks, the old man aims for the snake’s head. His walker becomes his death tool to save his best friend from a hooded hissing fiend!

He looks down and if his dimming vision is correct, this is the deadly puff adder* snake. Their poisonous breath, he believes, can kill a person from over twenty feet distance. Fear takes this man. Abruptly, the snake lets out a foul odor followed by oozing fecal matter. Then, flip! At his feet, now lay the dead snake; tongue hanging from its mouth and dripping small droplets of blood. Geez, thinks the old man, what good luck I am having today!

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*Puff adder snake is another name for the Hognose snake. Their breath, in reality, is not deadly to humans; actually, they are very shy and rarely bite humans.

34 thoughts on “Good Luck in Nature Park”

actually, the snake, well the Hognose snake, plays dead. they watch to see when the tormentor decides to leave, then they get up and slither away. how awesome is that for a snake? ha ha.
thanks, Sonel and ☼sunHUGS!

Uhmmm..I usually skip posts like that..LOL! But thanks for giving it a lovely burial and lovely flowers. You are so sweet and you are forgiven. I am sure the rat snake knows you didn’t mean it. 😀 *hugs*

thanks, Padmini! actually, i guess my writing was a bit, or maybe very unclear…lol…the snake actually plays dead. once the threat goes away, the snake gets up and slithers away. the Hognose snakes, aka puff adders are known to be the best at bluffing in the snake world. ha ha.
so, not to worry about the snake…it’s alive and well. ☺

I’ll try this next time I’m confronted–pass gas, poop myself, then lay on my back. What do you think? Great story for the year of the snake. Also, goes to show how our enemies are often harmless. {{{hugs}}} Kozo

Nicely done.. and I learned something. I always enjoy that. Your haiku sums up your story so well. I lived in Costa Rica for awhile. Every time a local (or visitor for that matter) saw a snake they killed it if they could. That drove me crazy. I’m glad your snake has a built in safety measure. Great story!

it’s all the poisonous snakes fault…ha ha. but seriously, snakes do play an important part in keeping rodent populations in check but i can understand the desire to kill anything that slithers like snake. if we just walk away, most of them would leave us alone. i bet Costa Rica is snake country…just seems like perfect weather for them. Thanks for sharing, Steph. ☺

amazing snake, the hognose. in real life it is master when it comes to “playing dead.” i wish all snakes come equipped with this magic trick. i think many would end up staying alive rather than people freaking out and hacking them to death. thanks, Sarah for reading & sharing…you bring smiles ☺